Driving-signal.



H. RABBES.

DRIVING SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED APR1'25. 19w.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

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Henry Attofney.

NT QFFICE.

HENRY RABBES, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALlIFORNIA.

DRIVING-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented nee. to, iota,

Application filed Apr-i125, 1917. Serial No. 164,409.

To all ii /10m it may concern:

Be it known that I, I'IENRY Raunns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles. in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Driving-Signal, of which the following is a specifieationp My invention relates to improvements in driving signals for indicating that a vehicle is about to turn or to stop, and the objects of my improvementare, first, to provide a device of this nature that is plainly distinguishable from both the front and-rear of the vehicle to which it is attached, and one that will clearly indicate the intention of the driver; second, to provide a device that may be operated with the maximum of ease and without materially distracting the attention of the driver; third, to furnish a mechanism that will automatically return to a non-indicating position when the driver has no present intention of turning or stopping; and, fourth, to supply a construction that is of great simplicity and that may be cheaply manufactured, so that it will be adapted for general use on automobiles and other vehicles.

The above, and similar objects are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in Which Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of the forward portion of an automobile having my device attached to the frame of the windshield, and indicating the method of operating the signal; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the device on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 3, in which certain of the parts are shown Whole; 3 is a cross section of the device on the same enlarged scale taken on the line 3-3 of 2; and Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram showing the electrical connections of the various parts.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The device consists, essentially, of a metal casing in which signaling means, under the control of the driver, are displayed. Each device may comprise a single signal or a plurality of signals, and the devices may be employed either singly, or in pairs as desired. In any case the principle of operation will he the same.

For use on aut-nnobiles the device is preferably employed in pairs, one being located at each side of the vehicle. In this case each device will ordinarily employlwo legends with means for rendering tl1X11)T lSll)le at night. ''The left hand device will becapable of displaying the words Left and Stop, and the right hand device will be capable of displaying the words Right and Stop. It is this application that has been selected for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawing.

Passing to a detailed description, the easing 1 is preferably made of sheet metal and is provided With suitable fastening means 2 by which it may be attached to the windshield frame 3, or other stationary part of the vehicle. These fastening means form no part of my present invention and may be of any desired form adapted to fit the part to which the device is to be attached. The casing 1 has a large rectangular opening 4 at either side, through which the signaling legends may be seen, and 'at one end there is an inclosed space 5 for housing the operating mechanism.

lVithin the casing are two sheet metal flaps 6 and 7 which are revolubly mounted upon the shafts 8 and 9 respectively. On

both sides of the upper flap the direction A legend is painted in bold faced letters. On both sides of the lower fiap the Word Stop is painted. When either of these flaps is in a vertical position the legend it bears is visilole from both the front and rear of the vehicle. hen the flaps are in a horizontal position the legends can not be seen from the front or rear. Each of the flaps is made with a notched corner, as shown at 10, to

' enable them to swing past the electric lam bulb 11 which is centrally mounted upon the wall of the inclosed space 5.

The shafts 8 and 9 are free to'turn in bearings consisting of metal pieces attached to the casing Walls, as shown at 12, and each shaft has fixed upon it a specially shaped. armature 13. These armatures are adapted to be actuated by the electromagnets 14, and carry integral projecting lugs 15 to secure a strong turning force in the right direction, when they are in their neutral non-indicating positions.

Magnets let each consist of two coils,

mounted upon a yoke 16,*Wl i ch is attached to the casing wall and serves to of the shafts in scribed.

When unactuated by the magnets the arthe manner already desupport one matures 13 are brought back, and 1na-ini Fig. 1.

tained in neutral position by means of the spiral tension spring 17. One end of each of these springs is fastened to a pin 18 at- V cached to the casing, and the other ends of these springs are attached to their respective armatures. The action of these armatures and springs is clearly indicated in Fig. 3, where the upper armature is being attracted by its magnet for displaying its direction signal, while the lower armature is in neutral, non-indicating position.

The lamp 11 is mounted in the socket 19, the latter having its flange attached to the inner surface of the casing wall, and its barrelportion extending outward through an opening in the wall. The lamp 11, therefore, may easily be replaced when necessary.

For operatin the devices a three button push switch 20 is conveniently located upon the instrument board of the automobile, or other desired position, and the devices are connected to this, and through it to a source of electricity, by means of wires or a flexible conducting cord as shown at 21. The huttons of switch 20 are marked L, S, and R,

to correspond with the display signals.

Referring to Fig. 4, a battery is indicated at 22. When the-driver intends to turn to the left he pushes button L, as shown in This closes the circuit of the battery through wire 23, Wire 24, upper left hand magnet 14, wire 25, left hand lamp ll, wire 26, and Wire 27. This causes the Left signal to be displayed and, at the same time, the lamp of the left hand device is illuminated. The Right signal is displayed. and, at the same time, the lam of the right hand device illuminated v pressing button it in precisely the same manner.

\Vhen the driver intends to stop his car, and wishes to warn vehiclesi'ollowing him, he presses the central button S. This completes the circuit of the battery through the two lower magnets 14 in multiple, and throuph the two lamps 11 in series with their r respective magnets. This causesthe display signal Stop tobe shown on each side oi the car, and both lamps are illuminated at. the same time. In this case the circuits are completed through; wires 23 and 28, wires 29,

lower magnet coils 14, Wires 30, lamps 11,

wires 26 and 31, and wire 27.

Attention is called to the fact that although the lamps 11 are in practically the same plane as the signaling legends, they nevertheless serve to illuminate the latter at night by means of reflected light. For

this purpose the interior of the casing is given a heavy coating of white enamel paint so that the rays of light from the lamps are reflected by it to illuminate the legends.

The invention is not limited to the details of construction shown except as set forth,

nals within said casing opposite said apertures; armatures attached to said signals and extending transversely from the axes thereof; electro-magnets for actuating said armatures to rotate said signals; means for energizing said magnets; and helical springs having one end attached to said armaturcs at a distance from their axes of revolution and the other end attached to a fixed point within said casing.

HENRY RABBES. 

